There’s been a lot of talk this summer about William Nylander’s upcoming contract, which is at a fever pitch now that the young star has missed the first two days of training camp.

Speculation that his camp and the team are far apart in negotiations has naturally led to a bunch of rational responses online. From concerns that his holdout could cost him a spot in the top six, to the never-ending trade rumours, it’s been a fun time at the water cooler in Leafs Nation this week.

In wake of this drama, I’m here to explain why Nylander’s holdout is nothing to worry about. In fact, it actually bodes well for Toronto based on recent history.

The first thing you have to remember is that holdouts are pretty common in the NHL these days; quite a few players in their young 20s have missed the start of training camp over the past few years due to contract negotiations. If these situations have taught us anything, it’s that the longer the negotiations go, the...